Transcript Three Aging Empires - Sprague High School

Three Aging Empires
The Holy Roman Empire
The Ottoman Empire
Poland
The objectives of this slide show will be:
• Identify the economic disparity of Eastern
Europe.
• Identify the reasons behind the decline of the
Holy Roman Empire.
• What were the reasons that Poland became
weaker?
• Where were the Turks finally stopped?
• Why did the Parthenon lose its lid?
• What were the traits of the Prussian state?
We are now going to check in on Eastern
Europe….
For the most part, Eastern Europe was made
up of agricultural estates with landlords.
It did not have the industry or naval power
of Western Europe.
Here, the peasants were terribly poor—in
some areas they were serfs, bought and sold
with the land
To make matters more complicated, there
were many different ethnic groups, each
with own language.
Besides the Catholics and Protestants, the
Muslim faith had encroached into Eastern
Europe since the siege of Constantinople
(1453).
Out of these three aging empires would
emerge countries who would play an
important part in the history
You will need to pay special attention to the
handout and the pages in your book. I will
highlight some of the great “stories” from
this time.
The first empire was the Holy Roman
Empire. It was in decline, and by 1806 it
was formally ended by Napoleon.
Voltaire once
said the Roman
Empire was
neither Holy, or
Roman, or
Empire. What
did he mean by
this?
The idea of
the Holy
Roman
Empire was
much
different than
the reality.
At the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 the
Empire lost much of its power—the German
states remained separate. Each state was
intent on having its “liberties” preserved.
The French continued to meddle and
support various German states against
each other. Still some of the Germany
states grew powerful.
Many of these rulers “aped” Louis XIV and
tried to establish their own mini-courts.
Small states lived
next to larger
states, and,
somehow, they did
get along, for the
most part. Still,
there was not a
united Germany.
The Poles insisted on their liberties, too.
However, they did not get along, and had a
policy that they must agree or their local
parliament, or diet, would have to disband.
This “exploding” or disbanding or their
diet was called “liberum veto.”
The third empire, was the Ottoman
Empire—and it was not a Christian
empire.
But Christians lived there, paying
“tribute” to the Grand Sultan.
•Throughout the Balkans, groups of
Christians made a life for themselves
under the crescent.
•Yet there was always a fear that the
Muslims would expand AGAIN and
go even further into Europe.
And what country was facing the greatest
threat from this Muslim expansion?
The emerging
country of
Austria.
•Out of the wreckage of the Holy Roman
Empire and the Thirty Years War, Austria
and Bohemia were now joined together.
Austria-Hungary would replace the HRE.
This new country of Austria sought to root
out Protestantism and re-conquer Hungary.
Remember these three aging
empires…because between 1648 and
1918 they will all be wiped away.
The Turks were held off in 1664, but Louis
XIV incited them to move toward Vienna
again. They did, in one of the most famous
stories in history. ..
Before we leave Eastern Europe, let’s learn
about two fascinating stories…
The siege of Vienna in 1683.
A vast Muslim horde surrounded Vienna for
months—many starved.
Louis XIV sat at
home, hoping
the Hapsburgs
were weakened
for good.
Who saved
Vienna?
Eugene of Savoy! Charles of Lorraine!
Italian troops! Jan Sobieski, King of Poland
led the decisive charge!
During this war, while the Turks were
preoccupied with the siege, the Venetians saw
their chance to gain control of Greece from
the Turks.
The Turks used the Parthenon as an ammunition
dump, until it lit on fire and blew the roof off…
The Parthenon, which had survived for
2,000 years was blown to ruins.
Soon, the Turks were pushed back.
Eugene of Savoy led victories at Zenta,
which got the Turks out of Hungary.
Finally, the peace
of Karlowitz was
signed (1699),
ending farther
Muslim
encroachment.
Austria also
gained
Transylvania and
Croatia from the
Muslims.
Austria, after these gains in the East, then
turned to the West. There, they entered the
War of Spanish Succession, and gained the
Spanish Netherlands (their old lands) which
were to become the Austrian Netherlands.
This area, of course, is known as today’s
Belgium.
The Turks still held Romania and the
Balkan peninsula, but they were stopped
from expansion.
The Austrian empire had formed itself
through several victories. Once again—what
was their ruling house?
Yes, the
Hapsburgs.
The State of Prussia also emerges
during this time. . .
It had originally been a border state
called Brandenburg
Originally, this land was settled by Teutonic
Knights after the Crusades, a place of safe
haven for members of their illustrious
organization.
During the Thirty
Years War, Frederick
William amassed
power. He would be
known as “The Great
Elector.” He was, of
course, chosen for
his position.
But his ancestors would soon become the
Kings of Prussia—no longer electors.
The title of King was awarded to Frederick
I’s grandson. He helped defeat the armies of
Louis XIV in the Battle of Spanish
Succession.
For his help, he asked for the title of
King of Prussia.
Prussia developed into a unique, military
state. All energies went into maintaining a
strong army.
In history, we might think of Prussia as
a state similar to ancient Sparta—where
young men were trained to be warriors.
Prussia developed industry and welcomed
Jews and Huguenots who fled after the
revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
The landed class was called Junkers—they
dominated politics in Prussia, and the future
German State, for years to come.
The Junkers were dependent on the
peasants—who were serfs, tied to the
land with little freedom of movement.
The term Prussian
survives today—as
a terms that
means duty,
obedience, service,
elitist, regimented.
Even during
World War II,
Hitler himself
distrusted Prussian
officers.
The objectives of this slide show were to:
• Identify the economic disparity of Eastern
Europe.
• Identify the reasons behind the decline of the
Holy Roman Empire.
• What were the reasons that Poland became
weaker?
• Where were the Turks finally stopped?
• Why did the Parthenon lose its lid?
• What were the traits of the Prussian state?